黄土高原丘陵区不同土地利用方式对土壤理化性质的影响

对晋西北黄土高原丘陵区持续利用30年的小叶锦鸡儿人工林、农田、杨树林、小叶锦鸡儿和杨树的混交林地以及撂荒地的土壤理化性状进行了研究。结果表明,不同土地利用方式对土壤理化性质影响很大。小叶锦鸡儿和杨树的混交林以及小叶锦鸡儿人工林可以降低土壤容重,提高土壤酶活性、有机质和全N含量,从而改善土壤肥力。混交林和小叶锦鸡儿人工林的土壤培肥作用高于杨树纯林。粗放的农业耕作措施提高土壤容重,降低土壤养分含量,使土壤退化。撂荒地一定程度上可以起到培肥土壤的作用。在黄土高原丘陵区,种植小叶锦鸡儿人工林以及小叶锦鸡儿和杨树的混交林是较好的生态重建和植被恢复方式。     

黄土丘陵区撂荒地土壤抗冲性及相关理化性质

为了评价农地撂荒对土壤抗侵蚀性的影响,该文以黄土丘陵区自然撂荒地为研究对象,应用时空互代法,通过原状土冲刷试验对不同撂荒阶段(0~43 a)的坡地土壤抗冲性进行了研究.结果表明:与对照(阶段Ⅰ)相比,随着撂荒年限的增加,表层(0~15 cm)和中层(>15~30 cm)土壤容重显著降低,而下层(>30~50 cm)土壤容重变化较小(约下降0.5%).土壤团聚体和抗剪强度(黏聚力C和内摩察角φ)在3个土层中均呈显著增加趋势,而土壤崩解速率在3个土层中均呈下降趋势,与表层相比,中层和下层土壤崩解速率减小幅度更大(约4.2和1.8倍).土壤抗冲性随着撂荒年限的增大在表层呈先增加后稳定的趋势,在中层呈稳定增加而下层无显著变化,与对照相比,中层和下层土壤抗冲系数分别平均增大76.9%和30.7%.土壤团聚体和根系密度在3个土层中均是影响土壤抗冲性的关键因子.研究结果从土壤抗侵蚀性的角度为退耕还林工程的生态功能评价提供理论依据.     

黄土高原丘陵沟壑区土壤物理性质对苜蓿 种植年限的响应

西部黄土高原丘陵沟壑区是中国乃至世界上水土流失最严重的区域,以禾谷类作物单播为主的传统农业生产系统和过度耕作是引致水土流失的最主要原因。紫花苜蓿作为优良豆科牧草,在区域生态环境建设和产业结构调整中发挥着重要作用。因此,本研究通过设置在陇中黄土高原半干旱区的长期定位试验,以苜蓿草地(3 a、10 a、12 a)和农田(马铃薯地)为主要研究对象,探讨了土壤物理性质对于苜蓿种植年限的响应,为黄土高原雨养农业系统紫花苜蓿适宜种植年限的选择及苜蓿草地的可持续利用提供科学依据。结果表明,随着紫花苜蓿种植年限的加长,土壤表层呈容重降低、孔隙度增加的变化趋势,而下部土层变化不明显。苜蓿种植可以提高耕层0~30 cm土壤0.25 mm水稳性团聚体含量、平均重量直径(MWD)和几何平均直径(GMD),同时降低团聚体破坏率(PAD),且随种植年限的延长效果愈加明显。苜蓿种植一定年限后土壤总有机碳(TOC)和易氧化有机碳(ROOC)与农田差异明显,其中种植苜蓿土壤易氧化有机碳占总有机碳的比例为44%~57%,农田土壤易氧化有机碳比例占52%~68%,表明种植苜蓿不仅提高了土壤总有机碳含量,且改变了土壤有机碳的组成比例。与农田相比,苜蓿种植可改善土壤水分入渗性能,表现为随种植年限的延长呈现先增加后降低的趋势。黄土高原沟壑区种植苜蓿可以改善土壤有机质形态和物理结构,提高土壤渗透能力,但苜蓿种植年限以10 a为宜,10 a之后应该进行轮作换茬以维持雨养农业系统的可持续发展。     

基于Le Bissonnais法对黄土高原森林植被带土壤团聚体及土壤可蚀性特征研究

土壤团聚体的组成和稳定性是衡量土壤结构和质量的主要指标,本研究应用Le Bissonnais(LB)法的3种筛分方法[快速湿润筛分法(FW)、慢速湿润筛分法(SW)、湿润振荡筛分法(WS)]模拟不同条件(暴雨、小雨、扰动)对土壤团聚体的破坏,通过测定预处理后的团聚体特征来表征黄土高原植被恢复对土壤团聚体的影响,以期为黄土高原植被恢复与生态建设提供科学依据。结果表明:在LB法的3种处理方法下,FW处理(暴雨)对土壤团聚体结构的破坏程度最大,处理后土壤团聚体主要以0.2 mm为主;SW处理(小雨)对土壤团聚体的破坏最小,WS处理(扰动)居中。土壤团聚体的平均重量直径(DMW),在0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层均表现为SWWSFW。土壤团聚体平均几何直径(DGM)0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层均表现为SWFWWS,土壤团聚体分形维数(D)0~10 cm和10~20 cm土层均表现为WSFWSW。在SW处理下,不同植被类型中铁杆蒿群落、黄刺玫群落(样点6、9)土壤团聚体DMW、DGM值较大,可蚀性(K)较小,表明这两个群落的土壤团聚体更为稳定,在小雨环境下更有利于水土保持。对WS处理,侧柏群落、三角槭群落(样点1、2、3)的土壤团聚体更为稳定,可蚀性(K)值较小,因此在外界扰动环境下,侧柏群落、三角槭群落的土壤抗侵蚀能力更强。在FW处理下,侧柏群落、三角槭群落(样点2、3)土壤团聚体DMW、DGM值较大,可蚀性(K)值较小,表明在外界大雨环境下,侧柏群落、三角槭群落的土壤团聚体稳定性更强,土壤抗侵蚀能力更强。总体来说,对于不同环境,不同植被类型下土壤的团聚体稳定性和抗侵蚀能力差异较大,因此应针对不同的环境,采取不同的植被恢复措施来提高土壤团聚体的稳定性。     

黄土丘陵区冻融对土壤抗冲性及相关物理性质的影响

在股状水流侵蚀比较发育的黄土丘陵区,土壤可蚀性主要依赖于土壤抗冲能力。为了揭示季节性冻融对土壤抗冲性的影响,该文借助模拟冲刷试验,设置了裸地对照(CK)、黑麦草传统密度(LD)和加倍密度(HD)3种处理,测定并分析了冻融前后土壤物理性质及其抗冲性。结果表明,与冻融前相比,表层土壤容重、团聚体含量和根系密度在3个处理中均未发生显著变化(P<0.05),土壤黏聚力略有下降,而崩解速率在处理CK、LD和HD中分别增加了20.6%、18.8%和7.3%。冻融作用延后了3个处理的主要产沙时间,降低了土壤抗冲能力,增加了冲刷中途泥沙流失速率。与未冻融相比,冻融作用增加了处理CK和LD泥沙流失量为19.41%和6.70%,但对处理HD影响较小(P<0.05)。冻融和根系共同作用在LD和HD处理上分别减少土壤流失量为3.72%和49.39%。该研究期望对完善土壤侵蚀机理提供一定的参考价值。     

陕北黄土区切沟内陷穴发育特征研究

通过对陕北黄土区六道沟流域切沟内陷穴进行调查和统计分析,探讨陷穴的发育形态、分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明:陷穴主要形态类型有浅碟形、漏斗形、竖井状以及葫芦状,其断面形态接近于圆形或椭圆形,陷穴形态规模相对偏小,处于成熟期的比例达72.8%;陷穴长轴、短轴和深度之间均具有显著的正相关关系,其中长轴和短轴之间具有较好的线性关系;陷穴主要发育位置为沟道中上游及支沟沟头处,多与黄土桥和跌水相伴而生;切沟为陷穴的形成和发育提供了条件,陷穴亦可促进切沟进一步发展。上述结果完善了切沟内陷穴的发生发育特点和空间分布特征,为深入认识陷穴侵蚀机理,进一步研究陷穴侵蚀状况、陷穴与切沟发育关系以及区域水土流失治理等提供了基础。     

加速土壤侵蚀对养分流失的影响

Soil erosion and nutrient losses on newly-deforested lands in the Ziwuling Region on the Loess Plateau of China were monitored to quantitatively evaluate the effects of accelerated soil erosion, caused by deforestation, on organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus losses. Eight natural runoff plots were established on the loessial hill slopes representing different erosion patterns of dominant erosion processes including sheet, rill and shallow gully （similar to ephemeral gully）. Sediment samples were collected after each erosive rainfall event. Results showed that soil nutrients losses increased with an increase of erosion intensity. Linear relations between the losses of organic matter, total N, NH4-N, and available P and erosion intensity were found. Nutrient content per unit amount of eroded sediment decreased from the sheet to the shallow gully erosion zones, whereas total nutrient loss increased. Compared with topsoil, nutrients in eroded sediment were enriched, especially available P and NH4-N. The intensity of soil nutrient losses was also closely related to soil erosion intensity and pattern with the most severe soil erosion and nutrient loss occurring in the shallow gully channels on loessial hill slopes. These research findings will help to improve the understanding of the relation between accelerated erosion process after deforestation and soil quality degradation and to design better eco-environmental rehabilitation schemes for the Loess Plateau.     

Changes in soil properties across a chronosequence of vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau of China

Soil fertility is important for vegetation growth and productivity. The relationship between vegetation and soil fertility is important for both scientific and practical reasons. However, the effects of soil fertility on vegetation development and succession are poorly documented on the Loess Plateau. In this study, we compared soil properties of the Yanhe Watershed in northern Shaanxi across five different land uses (shrubland, farmland, natural grassland, woodland and artificial grassland) and a chronosequence of soils undergoing restoration for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years. We found that revegetation had a positive effect on soil bulk density decrease, total porosity and capillary porosity increase in the surface soil layers but not in the subsurface layer. Additionally, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen and available potassium were greater at shrubland and woodland sites compared with other land uses. Total phosphorus and available phosphorus were greater at farmland sites. Results of the study indicate that revegetation on eroded soil can produce important increases in soil fertility on older plantations and in areas with natural succession.     

Decoupling soil erosion and human activities on the Chinese Loess Plateau in the 20th century

Accelerated soil erosion is thought to couple with population growth, land exploitation and environmental degradation, leading to a major pressure on sustainable development of agro-ecosystem. However, implementation of wise policy and application of sound new techniques combined with traditional knowledge, may lead to less soil erosion or limited erosion under the tolerable value while intensive land use or exploitation is adopted for the population and economic growth. Such process of breaking the link between “environmental bads” and “economic goods” was termed as “decoupling”. In the present paper, decoupling process of soil erosion from human activities has been analyzed with the conception of decoupling indicators on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Before 1949, intensive soil erosion, as indicated by the high suspended sediment yield in the Yellow River, was induced by the wars within the nation and against the invasion of foreign countries. A distinct decoupling occurred after 1949, especially since the 1980s because of adoption of watershed-based comprehensive soil-water conservation measures. It implies that soil erosion could be decoupled from intensive land use exploration and the increasing population by a wise policy. And the decoupling indicator could be a sensitive indicator for agri-environment assessment.     

Evaluation of CLIGEN for storm generation on the semiarid Loess Plateau in China

The Stochastic generation of storm patterns is often necessary for driving process-based hydrological and ecological models. CLIGEN is the only weather generator being able to generate internal storm patterns. Its goodness needs to be evaluated for its proper application. This paper aims to find the advantages and limitations of CLIGEN on semiarid areas and provide references for custom-built weather generators for the Loess Plateau. The daily rainfall time series (1957–2002) and breakpoint rainfall data (more than 20 years) on six stations on the Loess Plateau were used to estimate input parameters for CLIGEN and to compare with CLIGEN-generated 50 years of storm data. Precipitation occurrence (wet day and dry day sequence) is well-simulated without significant difference across months and sites. Errors of monthly average number of wet days range from − 0.67 to 1.08 days, standard deviations range from − 1.19 to 0.76 days, and the distributions of continuous number of wet and dry days on the semiarid Loess Plateau are adequately simulated. Daily rainfall amount is not simulated as well as precipitation occurrence. The relative errors of average daily rainfall range from − 12.93% to 8.64% and those of standard deviations range from − 21.35% to 27.46%. During the rain seasons (May–September), among 30 month–location combinations, all the Mann–Whitney tests for the means passed, 47% for squared ranks tests rejected the null hypothesis of equality of standard deviations, and 73% for K–S test suggested that the generated and measured distributions of daily rainfall were different at 0.01 level of significance Three variables to describe internal storm patterns in CLIGEN are storm duration, relative peak intensity, and time to peak. Storm duration was not well-reproduced because none of squared ranks tests and K–S test passed at the significance level of 0.01. The frequency of short duration storms (< 300 min) was over-predicted while frequency of long duration storms (400–1200 min) was significantly under-predicted. The distribution of maximum 5 min rainfall intensity (ip₅) was well-simulated for four sites out of the six because all tests passed. However, generated maximum ip₅ for all six sites are around 190 mm/h, which are much larger than the measured (70 to 150 mm/h). Ip₃₀ is simulated better than ip₅, suggesting that CLIGEN can reliably generate rainfall erosivity. Time to peak was well-simulated because all the tests passed with P values significantly greater than the significance level of P = 0.01. Improvement for CLIGEN has to be made in terms of the daily rainfall simulation in rainfall-concentrated seasons and storm pattern generation in order to generate reliable rainfall time series on the Loess plateau.     

Effects of land use on soil erosion and nitrogen loss in the hilly area of the Loess Plateau,China

This study examines the effects of land use and slope angle on runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss from hillslopes of the Loess Plateau in China. Farmland, wasteland and four forest treatments (sea buckthorn+poplar, immature sea buckthorn, mature sea buckthorn, and immature Chinese pine) were the types of land use that were compared. The results showed that July was the critical period for runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss from farmland. Farmland was the most susceptible land use. Sea buckthorn+poplar, immature sea buckthorn, and mature sea buckthorn limited the runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss. Farmland on slopes over 15 degrees should be abandoned because of the high erosion rate and nitrogen loss. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigating the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition in a small catchment on the Loess Plateau of China, using Cs

An understanding of the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition in a catchment is important for designing soil and water conservation measures. Traditional monitoring techniques provide limited information on the spatial patterns of erosion and deposition. The fallout radionuclide ¹³⁷Cs was used to document rates and patterns of soil redistribution within a small (0.17 km²) gully catchment located near An'sai in Shaanxi Province, representative of the Loess Plateau of China. The local reference inventory was estimated to be 2266 Bq m⁻² and the ¹³⁷Cs inventories of 198 soil cores collected from the catchment, ranged from 0 to 3849 Bq m⁻². The coefficient of variation of the inventories of the individual cores was 0.85, reflecting the complex pattern of ¹³⁷Cs redistribution by soil erosion and deposition. Estimates of erosion rates derived from ¹³⁷Cs measurement ranged from less than 25 to 150 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, with about 70% of the net soil loss from the catchment coming from the gully area. The ¹³⁷Cs technique was shown to provide an effective means of documenting the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition within the small catchment.     

Effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on soil respiration components and their temperature sensitivities in a semiarid grassland

Nitrogen (N) deposition to semiarid ecosystems is increasing globally, yet few studies have investigated the ecological consequences of N enrichment in these ecosystems. Furthermore, soil CO₂ flux – including plant root and microbial respiration – is a key feedback to ecosystem carbon (C) cycling that links ecosystem processes to climate, yet few studies have investigated the effects of N enrichment on belowground processes in water-limited ecosystems. In this study, we conducted two-level N addition experiments to investigate the effects of N enrichment on microbial and root respiration in a grassland ecosystem on the Loess Plateau in northwestern China. Two years of high N additions (9.2 g N m⁻² y⁻¹) significantly increased soil CO₂ flux, including both microbial and root respiration, particularly during the warm growing season. Low N additions (2.3 g N m⁻² y⁻¹) increased microbial respiration during the growing season only, but had no significant effects on root respiration. The annual temperature coefficients (Q₁₀) of soil respiration and microbial respiration ranged from 1.86 to 3.00 and 1.86 to 2.72 respectively, and there was a significant decrease in Q₁₀ between the control and the N treatments during the non-growing season but no difference was found during the growing season. Following nitrogen additions, elevated rates of root respiration were significantly and positively related to root N concentrations and biomass, while elevated rates of microbial respiration were related to soil microbial biomass C (SMBC). The microbial respiration tended to respond more sensitively to N addition, while the root respiration did not have similar response. The different mechanisms of N addition impacts on soil respiration and its components and their sensitivity to temperature identified in this study may facilitate the simulation and prediction of C cycling and storage in semiarid grasslands under future scenarios of global change.     

施肥和地膜覆盖对黄土旱塬土壤理化性质和冬小麦产量的影响

【目的】研究黄土高原旱作农业区施肥等措施对耕层土壤理化性质和作物农艺性状的影响,为保持土壤适度生产力,选择适合黄土塬区可持续发展的新型增产措施提供理论基础。【方法】通过设在渭北旱塬的多年田间定位试验,选取不施肥空白对照、施氮磷肥、施氮磷钾肥、氮磷肥加生物炭、氮磷肥加生育期地膜半覆盖和氮磷肥加夏闲期地膜半覆盖共6个处理,所有处理均在冬小麦收获后和播种前进行翻耕。分析了不同处理耕层土壤理化性质、冬小麦产量及农艺指标。【结果】与对照相比,施氮磷肥显著提高了耕层土壤饱和导水率,降低耕层土壤紧实度,显著增加冬小麦生育期耗水量,提高水分利用效率和降雨利用效率,显著提高了耕层土壤中有机质、全氮、硝态氮、铵态氮、全磷、有效磷等养分的含量,连续三年提高冬小麦的产量均在一倍左右。与氮磷肥处理相比,增施钾肥处理增加了冬小麦拔节期耕层土壤紧实度,却显著降低了收获期土壤容重、增加了总孔隙度,并显著提高了水分利用效率,在一定程度上增加了耕层土壤全氮、有机质含量,使冬小麦的叶面积指数显著增加,连续三年冬小麦平均产量达4500 kg/hm2;增施生物炭处理耕层土壤容重降至最低为1.16 g/cm3,增加了土壤总孔隙度,导致饱和导水率最大为0.049 cm/min,提高了水分利用效率;耕层土壤中的有机质、全氮、全磷、有效磷的含量有一定增加,冬小麦的产量有所提升;施氮磷肥基础上的生育期地膜半覆盖与夏闲期地膜半覆盖,均显著降低了耕层土壤饱和导水率,增加了土壤紧实度,提高了冬小麦水分利用效率,耕层土壤中有机质、铵态氮、速效钾的含量有所增加,全磷含量降低,土壤pH下降,除去受灾年份,冬小麦平均产量在4700～4800 kg/hm2之间。【结论】与对照相比,长期施用氮磷化肥显著提高冬小麦的产量,却导致土壤pH下降。在施氮磷肥的基础上增施生物炭,可以显著改善土壤物理化学性质,增加冬小麦产量,但其经济投入过高。在施氮磷肥的基础上,增施钾肥与生育期地膜半覆盖,改善了耕层土壤养分状况,有一定的经济效益,是适宜黄土塬区的冬小麦增产措施。     

Effects of retired steepland afforestation on soil properties: A case study in the Loess Plateau of China

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine how different afforestation strategies and slope positions affect soil organic carbon and total nitrogen. In a unique steepland formerly used as farmland in the Yangjuangou watershed of the Loess Plateau, three adjacent afforestation transects were selected as the sampling site: two single-species transects (Hippophae rhammoides and Artemisia capillaris), which each represented the single-species afforestation mode, and one mixed-species transect, which represented the multi-species afforestation mode. The results indicated that: (1) The soil organic carbon concentration in the multi-species afforestation mode was 25.8% and 27.7% higher than that in the other two single-species afforestation modes, while a minute difference in total nitrogen concentration was detected among the three afforestation transects. (2) Within the mixed-species and Hippophae rhammoides transect, both the soil organic carbon and total nitrogen concentrations showed an increasing trend from the upper slope position to the foot slope position. However, the soil organic carbon in the Artemisia capillaris transect was higher in the foot slope and upper slope but lower in the middle slope, demonstrating a “V” shape, and the total nitrogen increased from the foot slope position to the upper slope position. (3) The carbon : nitrogen ratios were no more than 10:1, which indicated the presence of easily decomposable soil organic matter. This study demonstrated the multi-species afforestation mode has better carbon accumulation potential compared with the single-species afforestation mode, which has important and informative implications for future vegetation restoration practices in the Loess Plateau and similar semi-arid environments.     

不同植被盖度下的黄土高原土壤侵蚀特征分析

利用地理信息系统(GIS)技术对黄土高原土壤侵蚀空间数据和植被盖度等级数据进行了空间叠加,研究不同盖度的植被对土壤侵蚀的影响。结果表明:植被盖度等级为1时,黄土高原土壤侵蚀全部为水蚀,占整个土壤侵蚀的100%;植被盖度等级为2时,土壤侵蚀主要以水蚀为主,占整个土壤侵蚀的95.61%;植被盖度等级为3、4、5时,土壤侵蚀仍主要以水蚀为主,分别占整个土壤侵蚀的74.90%、66.68%和58.19%。冻融侵蚀出现在植被盖度等级为4和5时,占整个土壤侵蚀的比例均不大。随着植被盖度的增加水蚀所占比重逐渐减小,而风蚀、水?风混合侵蚀和冻融侵蚀所占比重逐渐加大。植被盖度等级为5时,水蚀、风蚀和水-风混合侵蚀的土壤侵蚀指数均比其他植被盖度等级的土壤侵蚀指数大,分别为657.56、796.68和596.79,土壤侵蚀最严重。黄土高原植被盖度变化对土壤侵蚀状况影响显著。     

Influences of continuous grazing and livestock exclusion on soil properties in a degraded sandy grassland, Inner Mongolia, northern China

Overgrazing is one of the main causes of desertification in the semiarid Horqin sandy grassland of northern China. Excluding grazing livestock is considered as an alternative to restore vegetation in degraded sandy grassland in this region. However, few data are available concerning the impacts of continuous grazing and livestock exclusion on soil properties. In this paper, characteristics of vegetation and soil properties under continuous grazing and exclusion of livestock for 5 and 10 years were examined in representative degraded sandy grassland. Continuous grazing resulted in a considerable decrease in ground cover, which accelerates soil erosion by wind, leading to a further coarseness in surface soil, loss of soil organic C and N, and a decrease in soil biological properties. The grassland under continuous grazing is in the stage of very strong degradation. Excluding livestock grazing enhances vegetation recovery, litter accumulation, and development of annual and perennial grasses. Soil organic C and total N concentrations, soil biological properties including some enzyme activities and basal soil respiration improved following 10-year exclusion of livestock, suggesting that degradation of the grassland is being reversed. The results suggest that excluding grazing livestock on the desertified sandy grassland in the erosion-prone Horqin region has a great potential to restore soil fertility, sequester soil organic carbon and improve biological activity. Soil restoration is a slow process although the vegetation can recover rapidly after removal of livestock. A viable option for sandy grassland management should be to adopt proper exclosure in a rotation grazing system in the initial stage of grassland degradation.     

Effects of two beet vinasse forms on soil physical properties and soil loss

Two beet vinasse forms (fresh (BV) and composted with a cotton gin crushed compost (CV)) have been applied for 4 years on a Typic Xerofluvent under dryland conditions near to Sevilla city (Guadalquivir River Valley, Andalusia, Spain) and their effect on soil physical, chemical and biological properties and their repercussion on soil loss was studied. BV and CV were applied at rates of 5000, 7500, and 10,000 kg ha^− 1 organic matter ha^− 1, respectively. The application of CV to the soil resulted in improved some soil properties and soil loss decreased. However, when BV was applied soil physical properties deteriorated and soil loss increased. We think that the high amounts of monovalent cations, particularly Na⁺, and of fulvic acids in BV destabilized soil structure. These results show that the addition of soil organic matter not always prevents soil loss, and they suggest the preferential use of composted beet vinasse versus fresh vinasse under dryland conditions.     

Effects of vegetational type and soil depth on soil microbial communities on the Loess Plateau of China

Soil microbial communities are very sensitive to changes in land use and are often used as indicators of soil fertility. We evaluated the microbial communities in the soils of four types of vegetation (cropland (CP), natural grassland (NG), broadleaf forest (BF) and coniferous forest (CF)) at depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm on the Loess Plateau in China using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of DNA amplicons from polymerase chain reactions. The soil microbial communities were affected more by vegetation type than by soil depth. Total organic carbon, total nitrogen, soil-water content, pH, bulk density (BD) and C:N ratio were all significantly associated with the composition of the communities. Total PLFA, bacterial PLFA and fungal PLFA were significantly higher in the BF than the CP. The DGGE analyses showed that NG had the most diverse bacterial and fungal communities. These results confirmed the significant effect of vegetation type on soil microbial communities. BFs and natural grass were better than the CFs for the restoration of vegetation on the Loess Plateau.